Monthly Archives: February 2017

We have teamed up with West Dorset Leisure Holidays and Jurassic Coast Guides to offer one lucky winner a fabulous holiday for up to 6 people and an Ultimate Broadchurch Tour.

You and up to 5 guests will enjoy a week-long stay in a beautiful 2 or 3 bedroom Lodge at Highlands End Holiday Park. Situated on the clifftop overlooking West Bay, the real ‘Broadchurch’, the Lodges have views right along the Jurassic Coast from West Bay to Portland Bill and are perfect for a holiday with family or friends. The Lodges include complimentary wi-fi as well as passes for the exclusive Leisure Club with Swimming Pool, Sauna, Steam Room and Gym.

The Lodges focus on luxurious and spacious open-plan living and the highlight is the private decking with the breathtaking views. It’s a great place to watch the sun rise across the West Dorset landscape and is located in one of the best areas in the country for stargazing; on a clear night you will be able to see the Milky Way with your own eyes!

Part of this fantastic prize also includes an Ultimate Broadchurch Tour with Jurassic Coast Guides. You’ll be treated to a fantastic walking tour with Jurassic Coast expert and Ordnance Survey #GetOutside Champion, Martin Curtis. You’ll discover many of the stunning locations that have featured in Broadchurch whilst learning all about our fascinating Jurassic Coast along the way!

Enter our competition to be in with a chance of winning a fabulous holiday and discover the real Broadchurch!

Broadchurch series 3!

The third and final series of Broadchurch is finally here!

Filming took place in Dorset throughout 2016 with an impressive ensemble cast. David Tennant and Olivia Colman reprise their roles as DI Alec Hardy and DS Ellie Miller with Jodie Whittaker and Andrew Buchan returning to play Beth and Mark Latimer.

They are joined by National Television award winner Julie Hesmondhalgh, BAFTA winner Georgina Campbell along with Sarah Parish, Charlie Higson and Mark Bazeley who take significant roles in the 8 part series. Sir Lenny Henry and Roy Hudd also feature as new cast members.

Arthur Darvill also returns as local vicar Paul Coates, Carolyn Pickles as newspaper editor Maggie Radcliffe and Adam Wilson as Ellie’s son Tom.

The new series heralds a brand new case for Miller and Hardy with the detectives reuniting to investigate a serious sexual assault. The final series in the trilogy starts three years on from when we last left it. We’ll find out if Beth and Mark have come to terms to with the death of their son, Danny and how life for them has changed. There is a bold new crime story which will force us to ask whether the town has a crack running through it caused by Danny Latimer’s death; is this new crime somehow the long-term legacy of that dark moment?

In an interview with Producer, Dan Winch, he promised more twists and turns in the final series. He confirmed that the Dorset landscape will still be very much a character of the story, saying “What we realise is unique about Broadchurch is that it’s a beautiful reflection of the landscape and it’s a dark story in a beautiful place”. Dan teased that once again “people will be on the edge of their seats trying to work out the pieces of the puzzle”! We’ve been promised some amazing footage of the iconic cliffs, the bay and the rolling Dorset hills!

Series one and two were absolutely fabulous with absorbing plot lines, intruiging characters and of course a stunning filming location! We’ve been promised that we’ll see new locations and more of our extraordinary Dorset landscape. We’re looking forward to seeing West Bay and the surrounding area play it’s integral role to the series once again!

Broadchurch so far…what you need to know!

Broadchurch first hit our screens back in March 2013 with the second series following in early 2015. The premise has always been to explore how a tragic incident affects a small, close-knit community, and how the chracters react to the media attention and the mutual suspicion that arises. Broadchurch is unique in how it shows how something terrible can happen in such a beautiful place.

The Dorset landscape was always intended to be a main chracter of the drama; Chris Chibnall wrote Broadchurch “as a love letter to the scenery of the Jurassic Coast which used key landmarks as part of its story.

The landscape informs the drama: the cliffs, the sea, the beach are all key elements of the story.”

Intamacy and secrecy surround the series keeping us continually guessing and on the edge of our seats.

Broadchurch Series 1 – a round up!

The first series of Broadchurch opened with the stunning cliffs at West Bay towering over the body of schoolboy, Danny Latimer, on the beach below. West Bay took on it’s integral role and provided the stunning backdrop for this gripping whodunit drama.

The first series let us delve into the lives of the Broadchurch residents and discover the secrets and lies that wrapped the small town and kept us guessing til the very end who had murdered Danny Latimer.

The dramatic cliffs of West Bay are easily recognisable as the stunning setting of the beach where Danny was found and they featured throughout the series. West Bay was also the setting for the café, police station, newsagents, Sea Brigade Hall and harbour used in the drama with the caravan park and beach hut located nearby at Eype and Freshwater.

Broadchurch Series 2 – the lowdown!

The stunning Dorset coastline reprised its starring role alongside David Tennant and Olivia Colman in what was another enthralling series back in January 2015.

Broadchurch series 2 followed 2 plot strands; one focussing on how the local community rebuilt itself after the events of series 1 alongside the trial of Joe Miller and also the re-opening of the Sandbrook case, a previous case of DI Alec Hardy’s which held many bad memories and one he’d never been able to move on from. With twists and turns at every corner this series kept us on our toes and guessing once again.

The Dorset landscape once again played its part in telling the story and offered the most stunning backdrop to this amazing drama. We discovered more stunning Dorset locations including the beach huts at Charmouth, The Knoll at Punknowle which featured alongside the easily recognisable towering cliffs and beach at West Bay which are now so symbolic to the hit show. You may remember the bluebell woods which were integral to the Sandbrook case, this was filmed in Hooke Woods near Beaminster which is just up the road from West Bay!

Broadchurch cast and crew on filming in Dorset!

The spectacular location not only looks great on screen but it also found it’s way into the hearts of the cast and crew, who have adored Dorset, and who can blame them!

David Tennant, who plays DI Alec Hardy commented after filming the last series in Dorset “I will miss our trips to the coast. West Bay and the Jurassic coastline I will definately need to visit because there is something very special about that place and it is an extraordinary part of the country”.

Olivia Colman, who plays DS Ellie Miller talked about Dorset’s beauty when being on location filming for the first series – “being on the cliff at Bridport in the sunshine during the first week of filming was just amazing. Idyllic”

Andy Buchan, who plays Mark Latimer was asked if he would miss the locations that have become part of the Broadchurch phenomenon, to which he replied “I think I would take a holiday in Dorset every 10 minutes if I could. It is a spectacular part of the world. From the scenery to the people, the whole package down there is spot on.”

Jodie Whittaker who plays Beth Latimer comments “I love being in Dorset. It’s a brilliant place to be and film”.

Julie Hesmondhalgh, who plays Trish Winterman in the third series said “Well it was absolutely wonderful being down in Dorset, really beautiful and I had a period of time in the summer when I was down a lot and I had a little caravan on the beach (Freshwater Beach Holiday Park). I used to walk over the cliffs to West Bay to work in the morning and in the middle of summer it was absolutely lovely. It doesn’t get any better than that!”

When asked what she thought of West Bay, Eve Myles, who featured in the second series, replied “I’d never been there before – how glorious is that place and why haven’t I been before? It’s two hours from my house door to door, I’ll be going there a lot more. I was spotting out places to take the children next summer. It’s beautiful.”

Filming on the Jurassic Coast was a real bonus for Pauline Quirke, who played Susan Wright in the first two series, said “I have absolutely fallen in love with the place. I loved being at West Bay and when I got the chance I’d go off exploring. I have been to Lyme Regis and lots of other places just having a wander around with Bailey (her pet Labrador).”

“Even when the weather turned cold it was still beautiful.”

Discover the filming locations with our Broadchurch Trail

Looking to visit some of the specific Broadchurch filming locations? Our Broadchurch Trail will help you discover some of the key filming locations used in each of the series – immerse yourself in the surroundings and retrace the footsteps of the characters you’ve avidly followed.

An idyllic location for a perfect holiday – book your break to the real “Broadchurch”

It’s no wonder that Dorset has captivated film and TV makers; with unspoilt countryside, dramatic coastlineand views that you can only dream about, it makes the perfect backdrop.

So, if you are a Broadchurch fan, why not travel to Dorset and experience the Broadchurch location for yourself by booking a short break – come and visit the locations that found a place in your hearts, follow in the footsteps of the characters you’ve avidly followed.

Why not book on a Broadchurch walking tour….you could follow a similar route to the one that inspired Chris Chibnall to write the story at the very start!

Immerse yourself in the surroundings and let your imagination do the rest….discover the beauty of Dorset and the stunning scenery that stole the show and fall in love with the wonderful Dorset landscape yourself.

For a chance to win share a description,
photo, or video of your goal, using #shareyourgoal,
on either our facebook page or via public tweet.

Four lucky winners to be announced

Key terms of entry

There are three ways entrants can enter the competition. As follows: 1) Via the Zurich FutureYou Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ZurichFutureYou, 2) Via a public Tweet, or 3) By directly commenting on any Zurich FutureYou #shareyourgoal competition advertising in Facebook. In all three cases entrants must share a description photo, or video of their life goal and use the hashtag #shareyourgoal as part of their post, tweet, or comment. Entries may be shared on the Zurich competition social media feed. You must be the author/copyright holder of all images submitted. Dates for the four different winners to be chosen are 6 March, 20 March, 3 April, 17 April. Entries can be made from 9am on 15 February 2017 until 11pm on 16 April 2017. When each winner is chosen, all entries up until 11pm on the previous day will be be valid. All winners must agree to allow Zurich to film their bespoke experience and agree to ongoing promotion of the prize, including the repeated use of the film of the bespoke experience for a 12 month period. If you do not undertake the filmed bespoke experience you will not be entitled to, and Zurich reserves the right not to pay, the Cash prize.

Win £2,000 of landscaping kit for your garden

Despite the fact that a well designed garden can add as much as 20 per cent to the value of your property, it is often an afterthought when it comes to a selfbuild or renovation.

If you’re looking to update a tired outdoor space, start your project in style with a little help from WoodBlocX’s specialised wooden kits, which allow you to create a wide range of garden structures. Whether you’re starting from scratch, or your garden just needs smartening up, WoodBlocX works closely with you to ensure you get the perfect solution for your garden by adding raised planting, retaining walls, steps and other features to create your dream space.

We’ve teamed up to offer Grand Designs readers the chance to win £2,000 worth of products to ensure your garden complements your house. Giving your outside area a complete makeover may seem daunting but WoodBlocX makes it easy. The modular kits adapt to almost any outdoor environment and are simple to construct, with no heavy lifting or power tools.

Each structure can be built directly on to a range of surfaces, including soil, paving, tarmac or turf. The blocks are made from sustainable pine, which is pressure-treated twice for extra strength, so all kits are guaranteed to last for at least 15 years. WoodBlocX helps you to create a garden that is bespoke to you.

The team is fully CAD qualified, and provides a free design service to help bring your ideas to life. Using basic drawings or full blueprints to form a design, it demonstrates how your bespoke architecture will look before any digging has started.

For more details on the WoodBlocX range, call 0800 389 1420 or visit woodblocx.co.uk

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WIN A COURSE ABROAD

Win a Language Course in Hong Kong

Chinese Mandarin Course in Hong Kong to be Won!

Cactus is offering the chance to win one week of Chinese Mandarin tuition plus one week accommodation in a studio, serviced apartment, in Hong Kong. This competition runs between 1st February to 31st March 2017. Please see here for our terms and conditions.

Why Hong Kong?

The difficulty when visiting Hong Kong is deciding where to go and what to see, the choices are so varied and vast. However, we have selected our top must-see, must-do activities for any visitor to Hong Kong.

1. Victoria Peak: standing 552m above the city this is one the best vantage points from which to admire the sky scrappers which line the sweeping views of this impressive metropol.
2. Dumpling Yuan: take a trip to the Peak and North West of Hong Kong to visit this famous dumpling restaurant and try some of their 9 different delicious dumplings.
3. Lantau Island: no trip to Hong Kong is complete without a visit to the beach. We like the Cheung Sha beaches on Lantau with their long stretches of sand.
4. Chi Lin Nunnery: a buddhist monastery in Kowloon dating from the 1930s and made entirely from wood.

The Prize

Q Language is our long established language school in Hong Kong, and together we are offering 15 hours of Chinese Mandarin tuition over one week, alongside accommodation in a studio apartment in a serviced block. Simply sign up to be entered into this fantastic competition.

Selection process

If you love traveling… this is your opportunity! We are looking for 3 explorers that will travel around Latin America for 3 months each one.

What do we offer?

Everything that you need for a great trip: choose 3 latinoamerican countries, all flights included, £ 1,300 every month and, what is more, we wil give you an explorer KIT with a backpack, a GoPro camera and much more.

We just need you to show us everything while you are traveling by taking pictures, recording and writing your adventures. If you love sharing everything in your social networks… this contest is for you!

Tell us your motivation to travel to Latin America, which countries you would like to visit and why you are the candidate we are looking for. If you upload videos, photos and a sample of your writing, your participation will be enriched! You can participate until the 19th of March!

Once you have sent your participation, you have to tell everyone! Share your participation in your social media profiles so your friends and family help you become one of LATAM’s explorers. If you are one of the 10 most-voted you will automatically be one of the preselected participants. And if you are not between the 10 most-voted participants? Don’t worry, our jury will shortlist 30 more participations. In the end, the jury will choose the three winners between these 40 participations.

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Ever fancied putting a rhino to bed? Well Rhino Snores at Chessington Zoo gives you the opportunity to prepare their rhinos for bedtime. You’ll meet the zoo’s specialist rhino keeper, who will guide you through the preparations for making a comfortable night’s sleep. Help the keepers call in the rhinos, and get up close to these magnificent creatures to prepare their feed for the night.

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Win a Fiat Professional based motorhome We’ve teamed up with Fiat Professional to give away our biggest prize yet. You could win a brand new luxurious Adria Matrix Axess M 590 SG motorhome*. The prize is worth in excess of £50,000 – so don’t miss out! Climb aboard and travel with Fiat ProfessionalThanks to its great modularity, the specific Ducato motorhome base range is the most extensive and exhaustive. Available with a variety of weight options (up to 4.4 tonnes), as well as five different wheelbases, six chassis lengths and four engines, Fiat’s specific Ducato motorhome base range boasts an astounding 600 versions in total – meaning it is the ideal solution for any motorhome, no matter its size or layout. Boasting more than 100 years of automotive history, Fiat is a brand you can trust.To find out more about Fiat Professional visit http://www.fiatcamper.com.About the brand new Adria Matrix motorhomeSpacious kitchen with a modern 150L fridge, oven, grill and three-burner hobLuxurious full size double bed electrically operatedBoutique hotel-style washroom with separate shower

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THE LOCATION

Runaway Bride is set in the grounds of the magnificent Hockwold Hall in Norfolk. Located 12 miles north-east of Ely, Cambridgeshire, Hockwold Hall offers an incredible wedding venue backdrop for Runaway Bride.

THE RACE

A 5km course, filled with 10 wedding-themed challenges along the way. Brides leave 15 minutes ahead of grooms, who must catch them before completing the challenges together. The final 50m dash is made carrying their brides across the threshold!

THE PRIZES

First prize is a complete wedding package to the value of £25,000 – presented to the first couple across the line! Other prizes will be awarded on the day including best dresssed couple. All competitors will receive a medal for race completion.

Runaway bride is a world first. 1000 couple race over a 5km course, completing 10 marriage themed challenges to with a £25,000 Wedding package. Enter Now!

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Win a 14 day trip to Antarctica with Andy Rouse and Natural World Safaris

We’ve teamed up with Natural World Safaris to be able to offer you the chance to win a 14 day trip to Antarctica this November, worth £7,995 – led by professional wildlife photographer Andy Rouse! See below for full details and to submit your entry!

About Natural World Safaris

Natural World Safaris are a specialist travel outfitter creating pioneering wildlife trips around the globe. They are considered leaders in their field, and have been recognised by Conde Nast Traveller as one of the top 10 specialist tour operators in the world.

Aperture by Natural World Safaris is a specialist led service, offering the opportunity to travel with the world’s leading wildlife photographers, benefitting from advice and practical guidance on the ground. Suitable for photographers of all levels, visit destinations across the globe with acclaimed BBC and National Geographic wildlife photographers.

NWS are offering the chance to discover the Antarctic in a new light this 17th -30th November 2017 on an expedition led by Park Cameras and Canon ambassador Andy Rouse. With Andy as your mentor, maximise your time on the ice with longer shore landings (perfect for photographers to capture that dream shot). Enjoy seven whole days on the Antarctic Peninsula exploring one of the world’s last wild frontiers; two extra days than is normal on Antarctica expeditions!

What makes this trip extraordinary?

• Fully stabilised ship for a smoother trip through the Drake Passage.
• Excellent onboard facilities including email, gym, and on-deck hot tub.
• Departs in November when Antarctica is at its most stunning.
• Fantastic wildlife sightings including several species of penguin, seal and whale.
• Andy Rouse will be your expedition leader and wildlife photography mentor.
• You will be joined by expert photographer Andrew James.
• Make the most of photographic workshops and critiques on-board.
• Flexible itinerary to ensure you are in the right place at the right time for the best wildlife photography opportunities